I have often been heard to say that the term "Rap Music" is an oxymoron. I have also been known to rant at length about my belief that DJs are not musicians, that Gangsta Rap is the most juvenile, hypocritical, and stereotype-reinforcing entertainment ever invented, and that Hip Hop in general is the retarded lustchild of a fugly and drunken one-night stand between R&B and Disco.

So... having said that... not real proud of this... and I don't plan to make a habit of it... in fact, a little of my soul died with each rhyme... but I had to write this for my poetry class, so here it is.

I knelt at the rail when I was just thirteenand asked almighty God, "What the hell did you mean?"When you made this perfect world, was there really a planor is man just an afterthought that got out of hand?If I'm made in your image, and you're without sinthen why does the evil seem to come from within?Did you invent sin just to keep us in line?Or did we invent you from the fear in our minds?

We've prayed all our lives, never heard a word from You.Been played all our lives, now we want to know what's true.

I waited for an answer, for the truth to come clearbut soon enough I realized there was no one to hearmy confessions, blasphemies, or attempts to atoneand on that shitty day I knew we all were aloneand always have been, I know it's hard to hearbut we created our creator out of ego and fearHe didn't invent sin just to keep us in line becausewe invented him from the fear in our minds.

We've prayed all our lives, never heard a word from You.Been played all our lives, now we want to know what's true.

We can't believe that all the struggle, the worry, and the strifeis all that really ever matters in this short and ugly lifeso to help us stay sane and let us sleep through the nightwe conceived of eternity and made it our rightto seek it out, earn it, and rule it from abovewe even had the gall to call His bullshit "love."No more prayers from me, no more wasted time'cuz it's clear he was invented from the fear in our minds.

We've prayed all our lives, never heard a word from You.Been played all our lives, now we want to know what's true.